When I See You
by angellwings
Summary: Natella: Nate is blocked and Ella helps him figure out why. Based on the John Mayer song "Love Song for No One."


**A/N:** This week's poll was tied. This story had two votes and the one of the Jaitlyn options had two votes. There's a **new poll** up on my **profile**. It has four options. **Go vote!** It closes on Friday the 27th!

Happy reading!

angellwings

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><p><strong>When I See You<strong>

**By angellwings**

_"I'm tired of being alone,  
>So hurry up and get here.<br>So tired of being alone,  
>So hurry up and get here…" <em>

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><p>Nate huffed and ran a hand through his hair. "I can do this. It's not like I haven't written <em>a million<em> songs. One more can _not_ be that difficult."

He looked up at the mirror in his dressing room and glared at his reflection. He was blocked. He _hated_ being blocked. But it made sense. He hadn't been heartbroken or infatuated in a while. How was he supposed to write a love or anti-love song when he hadn't even been on a date in _months_?

He groaned. "Maybe I should watch some chick-flicks and blast Taylor Swift." He quirked a brow at his reflection and shook his head. "I'm insane. I've gone crazy. Stupid block."

Maybe he should call an ex or two. That might help, right? Drama meant songs, and right now he needed a song. Which meant he needed drama. He reached for his phone as his dressing room door burst open. He jumped and turned toward it to see a rack of clothes gliding into the room.

"Ella?" He asked knowingly.

Ella stepped through the middle of the rack and smiled brightly at him. "Hey, Nate. I didn't know you were here! I thought you were out to dinner with every one else?"

"No. I'm trying to write a song," He told her.

She hummed to herself as she moved the rack and flipped through each item. "Oh? What about?"

He smiled affectionately at her humming for a moment before he remembered his current problem. "That's just it. I have _no_ idea."

Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head to the side. "What?"

"I'm _blocked_. Thanks to my _lack_ of a love life."

"What do you mean?" Ella asked.

"I can't write a love song when I'm not _in love_. Or heartbroken over a love gone bad or something."

Ella chuckled. "Oh, Nate. You've written plenty of songs when you weren't in love."

"What?" Nate asked in confusion. "Every love song I've written is about one girl or another."

She rolled her eyes. "Writing songs about them doesn't mean you _love_ them. Trust me, I've been around you enough to know when you are or _aren't_ in love. And that's only happened to you _twice_. Once with Dana and once with that bitc—I mean actress—that _actress_ Whitney."

"I've been in love more than twice," He protested. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Haven't I?"

Ella gave him a pointed look and shook her head. "Nope."

"How do _you_ know whether I'm in love or not?" He asked curiously.

She shrugged. "You go a little crazy at first."

His eyes widened. "I go crazy?"

She nodded. "You can't actually _talk_ to the girl so you get all weird and kind of stalkerish. Then your eyes go all gooey and you magically develop a sense of humor. And _last_ but not least you write a song. But not just _any_ song…an exceptional song. A song that you record but never release because it's just too personal. And _that's_ how I know. All of those things have only happened _twice_ since I've known you."

"I've done those things with girls that aren't Whitney or Dana," Nate told her.

She shook her head. "Not all of them at once."

He thought back and then exhaled loudly. "Well, _fine_. Maybe I have only been in love twice."

"I knew you'd see things my way," Ella said with a smirk. "The _point_ is though, Nate. You've written songs when you haven't been in love before so that's clearly not the reason you're blocked. Something else is blocking you. Figure out what it is and then I'll bet you'll be able to write again."

He set aside his guitar and then stared at the floor thoughtfully.

Ella cleared her throat. "I'm just gonna leave this rack in here for tomorrow. Do _not_ have anything other than water close to these outfits, alright? If I come back tomorrow and see any stains I _will_ hurt you. Clear?"

Nate chuckled and smirked at her. "You think you're scarier than you actually are, don't you?"

"You don't think I could take you?" Ella asked with a playful glare.

"I certainly don't want to find out," Nate told her as he held up his hands in surrender.

She smirked and laughed softly. "That's right, you don't." She stepped toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder as her expression grew softer. "You _are_ going to actually go home tonight right? I mean, you have a show tomorrow, and should probably get some sleep. Don't stay up all night trying to figure out your block."

"I won't," He told her with an affectionate smile as his eyes lingered on the hand she'd placed on his shoulder.

"Promise?" She asked with a quirked brow.

He nodded and then frowned when she pulled her hand off of his shoulder. "Promise."

"Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow," Ella said.

He smiled in acknowledgement. "Yeah, tomorrow."

Ella gave him a small wave as she walked away. He sighed thoughtfully as he watched her go. Why _was_ he blocked? What was going on with him that was keeping him from writing? He'd thought it was because he needed to be in love to write, but according to Ella that wasn't it. But obviously something was bothering him. He thought back on all his relationships as he tried to figure out whether or not Ella was right. As he counted off each one he _knew_ Ella was right, but he also realized something else. He was twenty-six, and hadn't been in a relationship that lasted longer than six months. Which he supposed wasn't terrible, but…

He was surrounded by people in happy healthy relationships. Mitchie and Shane had been together forever, Jason and Caitlyn had been together for nearly three years now, and even Dana, one of his exes, had been _married_ for two years. Everyone around him seemed to be settling down. Was it weird that he wasn't? He would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little bit jealous of all those happy couples. He, honestly, had always thought he'd _be_ one of those happy committed people by now.

Was _that_ what was blocking him? Was he tired of searching for _whoever_ he was supposed to be with? Was there even someone out there _for_ him to be with? What if there wasn't? What if he'd already dated her and broken up with her? What if he'd completely ignored her existence? Was it possible for him to have missed his chance with _the_ girl that was meant for him? He ran a hand through his curls and sighed sadly. Thoughts like that were depressing.

His eyes glanced over to the rack Ella brought in and he smiled slightly. He wondered if Ella ever thought things like this. She was single too. Did the idea of _the one_ ever freak her out? He squinted as he spotted something black hanging from the opposite end of the rack. He stood up and walked toward it and realized it was a purse. He reached out and took it off the rack. He smiled affectionately at the crystal covered keychain hanging off the side of it.

It _had _to be Ella's purse.

The clicking of heels could be heard outside of his door and he turned to find Ella standing in his doorway.

"Oh, thank God!" Ella said with a relieved smile as she stepped into the room and took her purse from him. "For a second, I thought I'd lost it. My keys and everything are in there."

She gave Nate a strange look when he didn't respond.

"Nate? You okay?"

His eyes immediately met hers and he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking."

"Oh yeah? Did you figure out why you were blocked?" She asked.

"I, um, I think so," Nate told her as he sat back down in his chair. "I think it's because I'm afraid I missed my chance with…well, _the one_. You know? I think…I mean, is it possible that I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life?"

Ella hesitated a moment before she sat down next to him. "So, you're blocked because you're afraid you're going to be forever alone?"

He grimaced. "Don't say it like that."

She laughed softly. "Well, that's how you're feeling isn't it?"

"Yeah, but that just sounds…over dramatic," Nate told her as he gave her half of a smile.

"Nate, I don't know if you know this, but you're kind of over dramatic," She said as she bumped his shoulder.

"Hey!" He said with a laugh. "Aren't you the girl who was so nervous at her senior fashion showcase that she nearly 'sparkled' her eyes shut?"

"It was an accident! The glue got stuck! It's not like I _put_ the crystals over the opening of my lids!" She said defensively. She sighed and chuckled lightly. "Fine, we're _both_ over dramatic. But that was hardly my point."

He smirked at her. "I'm sorry, continue. Your point…"

"You're not going to be alone, Nate. You'll find someone."

"That's a great thought, Ells, but when? And how can you be sure?"

She shrugged. "I can't tell you when. Whenever you're ready, I suppose. And I can be sure because I have faith that everything will work out."

His brow furrowed. "That's a lot of faith, Ella."

She smiled softly and looked away from him as she blushed. "I think that whenever you see the right person…you'll just know."

He quirked a brow at her. "Like love at first sight?"

She shook her head. "I don't mean physically see, Nate. I mean whenever you truly _see_ someone. Whenever you notice them for who they are. Their talents, their weaknesses, their quirks…whenever you finally _see_ them then you'll know. You just haven't seen the right person yet, that's all."

He nodded and smiled at her in understanding. "I like that. That makes sense. Have you…_seen_ your right person yet?"

She blushed even deeper, but said nothing.

"You have, haven't you?" He asked as he tried to hide his disappointment. He didn't even really know _why_ he was disappointed. Why _would _he be disappointed? He shouldn't be unless he _liked_ Ella. Did he? He thought about all their interactions throughout the night. He remembered all of them in the greatest detail. Every word, every little touch, and everything about her that set her apart. He remembered _everything_.

He liked Ella.

But she obviously already had someone in mind. He gulped before he spoke up again. "So, um, who is it?"

"Nate," She said in a whine. "I really don't want to talk about this."

"Oh, come on," He said with a strained smile. "It's me."

She exhaled nervously and mumbled something to herself.

His brow furrowed. "What?"

"You're a jerk," Ella said as she shook her head.

"Ella, I was kidding."

"That's the problem, Nate. You were _kidding_," She said as she bit her bottom lip and swallowed thickly. She shook her head and stood up. She put the strap of her purse over her shoulder and took a step toward the door.

Nate quickly stood from his chair and grabbed her wrist. "Ella, stop. I—I didn't mean to offend you. I don't even really understand what happened. What did I do?"

"It _is_ you," Ella told him. "You're the person I _see_."

His eyes widened and he smiled brightly. "What? Me?"

She looked down at the floor and nodded. "Yes, you."

He moved his hand from her wrist and he laced his fingers through hers. "What are you doing after the show tomorrow night?"

Her head snapped up and she stared at him with wide eyes. "I—I…_what_?"

"I'd like to take you to dinner so I'm wondering if you have any plans after the show," He told her.

"Nate, you don't have to ask me out just because I said—"

"That's not what this is, Ella," Nate said with a soft smile. "I promise."

"But how? Just a few minutes ago you were all confused," Ella said with a furrowed brow.

"You said that whenever I _saw_ the one I would know right? Well, a little over five minutes ago I had an epiphany. From the minute you walked in my dressing room this evening I've been _seeing_ you. I just didn't realize that's what was happening until you pointed it out to me," Nate admitted. "And now that I know I'm not the only one I would really _love_ to take you out to dinner. Please?"

She blushed and smiled slowly. "Yes, okay, absolutely. Tomorrow night is perfect."

They grinned at each other for a moment before Nate turned around and packed up his guitar quickly. "Great, I can't wait. Now, I'd better go. I _think_ I have an idea for a song."

She beamed at him. "No more block?"

"No more block," He said with a smirk. "I was suddenly hit with inspiration."

He leaned toward her and placed a lingering kiss on her cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ells," he said. He lingered for a moment to gently tuck a stray hair behind her ear. He winked at her and walked out of his dressing room leaving a stunned, blushing, and smiling Ella in his wake.

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><p>"…<em>Searching all my days just to find you.<em>

_I'm not sure who I'm looking for._

_I'll know it,_

_When I see you."_

_-John Mayer, "Love Song For No One"_


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